Black Amber part 2
by Lucyinthesky1996
Summary: AU. Now in hiding, L and Light are forced to live their lives as fugitives in order to be together. But Takeo isn't going to give up on his pet that easily. WARNING: Prepare for erotic imagery and sexual themes.
1. New beginnings

The truck carried on through the night, bumping over the road as the wheels hit the pebbles below. Rain hammered against the roof, making the wooden sides damp and mouldy. But L and Light were safe inside, curled up together like sleeping cats. Whenever one of them woke from the howling wind it wasn't long before they had nestled back into their partner's warmth and dropped off again. And all night the truck rattled on, further and further away from the camp.

* * *

Light woke when he felt someone shaking him and a smile spread across his lips as L bent down and whispered in his ear;

"We're here."

The sun hit his eyes as he jumped out, but this time he was grateful for it. They had reached the middle of the countryside and were currently parked on a road which was more like a forest path. It was hotter than the day he was first sold, back at the docks, probably a thousand miles away by now. The front door of the truck opened and a small puppy came hopping down the step, into L's arms. Light watched as Makoto yipped and licked L's face as if they had been parted for a million years. Another figure jumped out of the driver's seat and wiped his boots on the ground as he met Light's eyes.

"See Mikami?" Light laughed, "I told you it would work"

Mikami shook his head, "I don't know how you guys do it. You're both crazy." Then he smiled, "The things you do for love, eh?"

L set Makoto back onto the floor and turned to squint at the hill in front of him, "Is that the place you were talking about Mikami?"

"Yes." The other slave replied, "You should be safe there. But you'll have to make some drastic changes to your appearance; posters will be going out soon and folks around here wouldn't mind handing in two slaves for a generous reward. Just keep your heads down and you should be fine."

"We really appreciate this." L gave him a warm smile.

Not used to praise, Mikami flushed, "Anything for a friend."

Light turned his attention to the house on the hill, "How did you find this place then? Is it abandoned?"

"No…" for a second Mikami looked uncomfortable, "…I used to live here as a child. I grew up in that house."


	2. Mikami's past and wishful thinking

The house was larger up close and the inside of it cold and airy. It hadn't been lived in for a while. It was a country house, built for large families – so Light guessed.

"Were there a lot of you then?" he asked Mikami, as they explored the living room which was tinted with dust.

"Yeah." Mikami grinned, "I was the middle child of nine. Four brothers and four sisters."

"Woah, your parents had their hands full."

"You can say that again."

"What happened?"

"Then…" Mikami wet his lips, "…then the masked men came. They killed my parents and raped two of my sisters."

Light's face fell, "I'm so sorry."

"I was eleven when that happened. That's when they took me to the plantation ground."

"What about your siblings?"

"No idea where they are now. But hopefully they're alive." Mikami gave a bold smile, "Best to keep positive, eh?"

"Yeah." The conversation had crumpled Light's spirits, but he did his best not to show it.

"Light, come and see this!" L called from upstairs.

When Light reached the top he found L in a large room which looked like it had once been inhabited by children. There were a few toys lying scattered on the floor and a child's shoe was lying in the corner of it. Mikami went and retrieved it, turning it over and over.

"This belonged to my youngest sister." He smiled at the memory, "Little Hina-Mai. She was only five years old."

Memories of Sayu came flooding back to Light and he shivered. Everyone in that room understood what it was like to lose someone close to them. That was something they all had in common.

"Come on." Mikami put the shoe in his pocket and headed for the door, "I don't know about you but I'm starving. I'll go and see if there's anything to eat."

When he'd left L turned to Light, who had stooped down and picked up one of the dolls, examining it carefully.

"Who knows." The black-haired boy said, looking up at the chipped ceiling, "A bit of redecorating and this room could be as good as new."

Light smiled and set the doll upon the table near the windowsill, "Yeah, it could."

"It would make a good office." L looked out of the window; quite a different view to the one back at the plantation.

"Yeah, it could…" Light came up behind him, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy's waist, "…but I was thinking more of a nursery."

It took a while for that information to sink into L's mind and he turned his head so he could see if Light was being serious or not.

"You mean…?" He trailed off, feeling idiotic, "…with _me_?"

"After we're married of course."

L found himself grinning and he purred as Light's lips moved across the bottom of his neck and somehow found their way into his waiting mouth.


	3. Becoming his

Beyond spread his hand along the wilted bed sheets his beloved younger brother used to lie on to sleep. It hadn't been slept in for almost a week now; ever since Lawliet had disappeared with the madman. It was all his fault – that's what Beyond kept telling himself. It was his fault for not getting his brother out of that place sooner, his fault for allowing him to get close to Light. He should have done him in the night the boy humiliated him in front of all the other slaves. Sometimes Beyond allowed his good nature to get the better of him. And now, because of his actions, L was gone. Probably dead.

He felt the soft pillow his younger brother's head had once laid upon and inhaled the warm scent of wild flowers and rain water. It still smelt of him, even though he wasn't there.

Beyond held it as if it were L himself and allowed the tears to fall past his cheeks; ignoring them as they splashed onto his knees below, leaving little wet patches. He never used to cry. He wondered what had gotten into him lately. He was considered an Alpha in these parts – he was known for his strength and hostility towards others. Many believed he didn't have feelings. But whilst he was very much his own person, Beyond was still a twin. And twins share traits. Though it was usually kept in the dark, there was a part of Beyond that was a lot like Lawliet; shy and childlike and easily afraid. He was able to mask this side of him by being cold and harsh to others he considered "lower" than him. But even a mask couldn't change him internally. He was still a boy. Not quite a man yet.

He released the pillow from his hold and rested his arms on the bed, crying into them in order to free the child within him for a short while. For a moment he thought of his parents and how disappointed they'd be in him for allowing all this to happen. He thought of his father and his eyes welled up even more.

"Papa…" he muttered through his sobs and suddenly wanted him more than ever, to tell him everything would be alright. He never got an answer. Because his father wasn't there anymore.

Someone else was.

He felt someone reach over and slide a hand onto his back – this gesture caused his whole body to freeze as he recognised the touch.

"Leave me alone." He growled with a harsh warning.

Takeo smiled and remained unfazed; it would take more than a child's petty bitterness to deter him.

"You shouldn't cry for a traitor, boy." He dug his nails into the back of Beyond's neck, "Lawliet knew what was coming to him. It was his own fault and no one else's."

"He was my _brother_, you heartless bastard." Beyond hissed, teeth gritting together, "How dare you call him a-"

"A traitor? But you know it's true. He went against his own family for a complete stranger. I know you hate the Light boy as much as I do."

At this, Beyond hissed, "I want his neck…"

"And you shall have it. But I will need your help first. We've alerted every town and village of the missing slaves; promised them a reward if they return them."

Beyond snorted, "People will do anything for money."

"But I can't wait for the public to track them down. I'll do it myself."

"L's probably dead…" Beyond muttered, glancing downwards so he was looking at the floor.

"Believe what you want. But I will find them, dead or alive. And when I _do_ find them…" he grinned at the thought and took a step back from Beyond. The boy suddenly reached out and took his wrist, but not in an aggressive way.

"Promise me you'll get my brother back?" he asked with pleading eyes.

Takeo's smile disappeared, replaced with a look of almost pity. He lowered his eyes as if considering.

"I will…for a price."

"_Anything_." Beyond dug a hand into his pocket.

"I don't want money." Takeo couldn't surpass his grin any longer and decided to free it, "I want you to do something for me."

Beyond's eyebrows slid down and he swallowed the lump, "What do you want me to do?"

Takeo took the boy by the collar, lifting him onto his feet and wiping away the last traces of his tears.

"I want you to be _mine_."


	4. Subject of parenthood

Light curled up on his bed, fingering one of the doll's from the old nursery rooms. He'd meant what he said; he wanted children and he wanted them with L. Even though by nature that wasn't possible, there was always the possibility of adopting. Or they could get a Surrogate. He'd cross that bridge when he came to it. But he wanted it to happen. He knew he was very young to be thinking of having a family; but he'd grown up a lot in the past eighteen months, though it seemed to have all flown by. He knew he wasn't a child anymore. His childhood was well and truly over.

There was a soft knock on the door and Light tucked the doll away under his pillow.

"Come in."

The door opened a creak and L poked his head through nervously.

"Are you alone?"

"Yes."

The black-haired boy went and sat nervously at the end of Light's bed, "I can't sleep."

"Has something upset you?"

L shook his head but his expression suggested otherwise. He kept bringing his hand towards his face, touching the scar on his cheek.

"Hurts today."

"Want me to kiss it better?"

L's lips curled into a thin smile and he purred like a cat, "If you like."

Light crawled over and gently pressed his lips against the cut, the wet motion soothing the pain. L squeaked as the lips moved down to the sensitive part on his chin.

Light grinned at him, "Stop giggling so I can kiss you."

L put a finger on his lips before he could lean over, "Not yet. I want to talk to you."

"What about?"

L glanced at the door and looked embarrassed for a moment. He couldn't work his mouth properly.

"I want a baby Light…"

Light blinked, wondering if L had gained the ability to read his thoughts, "What do you mean?"

"I want to have a baby." He laughed at the expression on Light's face, "Not like that. I mean I'd like to adopt one. From an orphanage or something."

"But why-?"

"What you said earlier…it just had me thinking, that's all. I know it's a stupid idea-"

"It's not a stupid idea. I'd love a baby too. It's just a bit-"

"Soon? I know. I want it to just be the two of us for now. But maybe in the future…?"

"It will happen L." Light ran his tongue across the black-haired boy's bottom lip, "I'll make sure of it."

He pushed the smaller boy onto his back, glad that L was no longer unsettled by the idea of sex. He began unbuttoning the nightgown the smaller boy was wearing.

"Light?"

"Mm-hm?"

"I think we better keep the noise down. Mikami is sleeping in the other room."

At this, Light snorted and gently parted L's legs.


	5. Assault

**WARNING:** This chapter contains rape.

* * *

"Have you got him?" Takeo asked without turning around.

Hyosuke paused with some regret and then said, "He's here."

"Bring him in."

Seconds later, two of his associates dragged something into the room, the sight of it making Rory snarl. A sack hid his face, his clothes were torn. Takeo took a step forward and swiftly removed the sack from his head, revealing his face.

"I know your connection to Light Yagami, Bastard."

Matsuda whined like a dog and twisted his chained hands, trying to get more comfortable. Irritated by his struggling, Takeo pulled him up by the collar so their faces were centimeters apart.

"Stop crying."

Strangely, Matsuda obeyed. From the corner, Beyond watched with his eyes narrowed, studying the boy on the floor. There was something about him that was similar to Light Yagami, something about his eyes. Physically he was much smaller than Light, with a lot less muscle. But his body language, the way he held himself – like a dog with a fear of being whipped – resembled Light without mercy.

"Where is he?" Takeo asked the startled face.

"I-I…" Matsuda trembled, too overcome with fear to reply.

"Stop stammering child, spit it out."

"I-I-I don't know…"

The masked man's hold tightened on the boy's throat and for a moment he was tempted to strangle him in order to make him confess. But there was no lie in the child's eyes. He knew when someone was being dishonest, and Matsuda wasn't. He released him and let the boy drop to the floor. He was going to have to think of something else.

"You seem to know Yagami more than anyone." He kept his back turned so the boy couldn't see the smirk on his face, "You'll work work perfectly."

Matsuda whimpered, "What do you mean?"

"We've worked out where he's hiding."

At this, Beyond looked at him, eyes wide.

"But we need an Infiltrator." He went on, "Someone who he trusts. And then, when the time is right, you will bring him to us."

Matsuda suddenly found his voice and cried out, "No!"

He was silenced as someone punched the back of his head, almost knocking him out. Takeo didn't turn around, keeping his voice in a low growl.

"Mogi, Aizawa, get him on the table."

The two men did so with great force, shoving the boy across the table which stood next to the window and brushing the items off of it to give them more room. Hyosuke sank his teeth into his bottom lip.

Startled, Matsuda squeaked, "What are you doing?"

His question was left unanswered, as someone lifted his tunic up, exposing his undergarments. The sight made Beyond's cheeks heat up. Takeo went over and leaned over to talk in his ear.

"Last chance." His breath came out hot against Matsuda's neck, menacing yet comforting in some way, "Do you want to make this easy or hard?"

Matsuda wept, too upset and afraid to make sense of the situation, "I-I can't…"

Thwarted, Takeo stood again and nodded to the first man. Before Matsuda knew what was happening, the side of his face was being pressed hard against the wood and someone caught his hips to stop him from moving. He squirmed, trying to get out of the tight grip but the older man held him solid. He felt his cheeks burn furiously as his arms were jarred behind his back, held down so hard he couldn't move them. He felt his pants fall down to his ankles. And then someone was on top of him.

Matsuda screamed as they did it, the horrific pain shooting around his body like bullets. It felt like he was being ripped apart, like he was tearing out his insides. His screams echoed against the walls of the room until a hand was thrust over his mouth and his cries were muffled, silent tears shooting down his cheeks like the breaking of a dam. In a desperate bid to escape, he sunk his teeth into the stranger's hand, causing them to jerk it away. But by now, the boy was too exhausted to try and get away. He didn't care about what happened anymore. He just wanted the pain to stop. He gasped as a drop of blood trickled down his leg and soon everything was a daze, the sound of heavy breathing now muffled and passing through one ear to another.

Takeo held up a hand for the assault to stop, and when he looked over he saw Matsuda's body was now limp, and it was clear that the child was close to passing out. He waited for his accomplice to withdraw himself and fasten up his trousers again and after some time, went and turned the wet, bleeding child onto his back.

"Stop crying."

Matsuda didn't have the sense to obey this time. He dissolved into sobs, crossing his legs to prevent a stronger flow of blood from coming out. Beyond, who'd had his eyes shut for most of the assault, went over, took Matsuda's wrist and surprised all the others in the room by gently leaning forward and sticking his tongue into Matsuda's mouth. At first the boy clawed at him and tried to pull away, but after tasting the sweetness of his lips, moaned and pulled himself closer, deepening the embrace. Takeo felt a tinge of jealousy in his veins but restrained himself from breaking them apart. Matsuda was weakening and that's what he wanted.

After a while, Beyond pulled away and licked away the remaining tears that rolled their way down Matsuda's cheeks. Matsuda still trembled in fear, but seemed awestruck by the other boy's touch and said nothing to voice his pain. Takeo loomed over him like a black cloud and he tightened his hold on Beyond's arm.

"Here's what you're going to do."


	6. Night time Visitor

Light was awoken by a clap of thunder and wiped the sweat from his brow, the last reminder of the nightmare he longed to forget. The vision of Takeo swooping in like a cloud of smoke, claiming L in his darkness.

As soon as he was awake, Light looked around for the dark-haired boy who had been asleep beside him, but he was nowhere to be seen. He peered desperately through the darkness of the room, terrified that his dream had come true. Makoto was asleep in the corner, but still no sign of his master. More thunder sounded and he started shaking violently, tempted to call out his lover's name. A creaking under the bed attracted his attention and he shuffled to the edge of his bed, leaning forward to look underneath.

He sighed with relief as he stared into a familiar pair of dark eyes.

"L…" he breathed slowly, laughing a little nervously, "L, you silly thing. I thought I'd lost you for a second. What are you doing under there?"

L didn't have time reply as another round of thunder and a flash of lightning made him jump and whimper like a dog. Light fought hard not to smile at the innocence of the boy and gently reached out to touch his cheek.

"L, darling, are you afraid?"

"Evidently." L managed a thin smile at the statement, though it was weak.

"You could have woken me."

"I tried but you wouldn't budge. I think you were snoring too loud to hear me." He laughed at Light's expression, "I'm teasing you."

"Come back to bed."

L reverted back to nervousness, glancing around cautiously.

"The storm will let up soon. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"It's not just that…" L hunched up further, "…I had a dream."

"What happened?"

"…he came."

Light didn't need to ask who 'he' was, "He's not here L. He can't hurt us anymore."

"He'll find us." L started shaking again, "He always finds me. He'll-"

"Sssh." Light reached over and placed a finger on the boy's lips, "It's alright. I'll never let him hurt you again. I promise."

"How can you be sure?"

Light leaned over and carefully took L's wrist, guiding him out from under the bed so he was sitting next to him on the floor.

"Just trust me." He said quietly and before L could protest, he'd pressed their lips together, engulfing them both in a passionate kiss.

A sudden hammering could be heard from downstairs and L clutched Light like a child to their first toy. The hammering continued, blending in with the sound of thunder crashing ahead.

"They've come to get me.." L whimpered, clinging to the hazel-eyed boy, "…Light…"

"Hush…" Light said gently, though he too was growing anxious.

He told L to stay in the room and quietly opened the door, heading towards the staircase which led to the front door. He heard the sound of a door opening behind him and Mikami poked his head out.

"What's going on?"

Light put a finger to his lips and mounted the staircase, footsteps creaking on the aging wood. The banging got harder and fiercer, increasing the fear. When Light reached the bottom of the stairs, he went to the drawer where they kept the knives and slid it into his belt. Nervously, he pulled open the door and squinted through the wind and the rain towards the figure which stood below him; a broken, haggard mess.

"…_Matsuda_?"


	7. Reunited with an old face

"…I thought you were dead." Matsuda wrapped the blanket given to him by Mikami tighter around his shoulders, "I'd assumed they'd killed you."

Light stared at him, eyes still wet from crying, "I can't believe it…I thought I'd never see you again Mat."

Mikami watched them from the chair he was sitting on, the warmth of the fireplace providing some comfort for the three of them. The sitting room was cold and airy but the two boys on the floor seemed unfazed by the chill. They'd cried and kissed and hugged each other until Mikami was sure one of them would die from all the affection.

"So what happened to you?" The hazel eyed boy asked the younger.

"I was taken to another plantation ground but they said I was too weak to work in the fields. So I looked after the Boss' children for him whilst he was out inspecting the other slaves."

"How did you get out of there?"

At this, Matsuda seemed to hesitate, "I… escaped."

Light seemed a little disbelieving for a second, but then regained his smile, "Sounds dangerous."

"It was."

"But how did you get here? How did you know…?"

Matsuda shrugged, "I've been on the run for weeks. This was the first house I came across. A lucky guess I suppose…"

Footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs and Makoto padded into view, cocking his ears at the stranger. He'd grown a lot the past few months; his puppy structure was moulding into that of a young adult and the guard dog within him was beginning to show. His legs were taller; his fur was turning from fluffy to smooth and sleek. His dark eyes fell upon Matsuda and seeing the stranger did not pose a threat, slowly allowed his tail to descend into a wag.

Matsuda, who had always been wary of dogs, stuck a hand out for the pup to sniff, "I thought you were more of a cat person."

Light laughed, "He's not mine. He belongs to-"

"Light?"

L appeared on the staircase and peered over at the four of them, his dark eyes still wide and frightened. The sight of him struck Matsuda, as he knew he'd seen that face before. The same eyes, hair...

_This was the boy they'd been talking about._

He glanced over at Light, his face melting into a cheerful expression, "Well Light. Aren't you going to introduce me?"

Light blushed, realising his own rudeness, "Matsuda, this is Lawliet. He's my partner."

L cautiously made his way over to the other dark haired boy and slowly held out a hand for him to shake, "It's nice to meet you."

It took a while for Matsuda to take in the image before him. He wondered for a second is L's lips tasted the same as Beyond's. Slowly, he reached out and returned the handshake, feeling the softness of the other boy's hands, not wanting to let go.

"The pleasure's mine."

* * *

**Yes, Matsuda's back! And there is a LOT of drama in store (here's a hint – L will be doing some love making but not with Light :P)**

**Now, I've been asked this question numerous times – what breed of dog is Makoto. Just to clear the air for anyone, Makoto is a Shikoku inu and Rory is a Kai inu. They are both Japanese breeds and are both very beautiful dogs. Hopefully that will give you a better image of them now.** J


	8. Reminiscing

Takeo studied the picture of L as a child – the picture he always kept on his mantelpiece. It was a pretty photo. L had been chewing his thumb nervously at the time, his large eyes wide with fear. He was different back then; quiet, shy, obedient. He wasn't interested in men or rebelling against orders. He looked to Takeo as a father and the only thing he ever wanted was the chance to make him laugh. Takeo never needed to punish him – he'd never have had the heart to lay a hand on the boy anyway – for L never did anything to deserve punishment.

Until he turned thirteen and started falling in love with the other slave boys.

That's when it all went wrong. Takeo didn't want any other men in L's life; he wanted to be the only one. He'd caught L kissing a boy named Mikami in the fields behind the house. He'd then dragged the boy back home and beaten him with some severity to the point where afterwards if he did so much as raise his hand, L would cry and shield his face.

And then the knife.

And the scar.

A reminder to the child of what would happen to him if he ever touched someone else other than his master.

After that, the relationship was no longer considered a father to a son. It was possessive. Takeo _wanted_ L, every part of him. He wouldn't let anyone else in. L was _his_, and it would always be that way.

Except now…now his little angel was gone.

He looked down at the darling little five year old in the picture, then to the other photos of L growing up which he always kept hidden in the privacy of his office. The photo of them together when L had just turned eleven. He was smiling genuinely and had his arms around Takeo's neck.

_He wished those days had never ended._

"I'm sorry my little Beauty…" Takeo whispered for no one to hear, "For everything I've done to you…"


	9. The touch

L had been keeping himself scarce lately, for reasons Light wasn't sure of. In a way, it was natural for the dark-haired boy to be skittish. Settling down was putting them at risk of being caught. And even though a country house seemed an unlikely place for a pair of runaway slaves to hide in, they were not prepared to take any chances and kept themselves behind closed doors. Mikami was the provider; he went out discretely and brought back food for them all – often remarking that their faces were now pasted on every shop window in the town. He knew that soon the disguises wouldn't be enough, he'd be recognised. But he'd just have to cross that bridge when he came to it.

L paced up and down the landing, Makoto following at his heels. His mind was moving too quickly and he couldn't concentrate. All he could focus on was the image of a masked man. It would never leave.

He sighed and slid back against the wall until he reached the floor, allowing Makoto to lick his face. L guessed he was grateful to Takeo in someway. He'd given Makoto to him as a gift shortly before he'd met Light. Makoto was the friend L had never had and he filled the aching hole in the boy's heart.

L stood with the pup in his arms and turned to go and find Light. He almost jumped out of his skin when he saw Matsuda.

"I'm so sorry!" the other boy held up his hands in defence, "I wasn't watching-"

"It's fine." L caught his breath, allowing a nervous laugh to escape his lips, "It's my fault, I'm sorry."

Matsuda's cheeks went slightly red when he looked into L's eyes properly. He was very attractive, as he'd been told. But he hadn't expected him to be that attractive.

He knew what he had to do.

"So…" he scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "…I hear you and Light have been together a while."

"Yes." L smiled timidly, hugging Makoto a little closer to him, "Yes, we have."

"He's an amazing person." Matsuda said, his voice slightly lower than before, "And he's very lucky to have you."

L blinked, "How do you mean?"

"Well…" the cheeks fired up, noticeably red, "You're…you're very pretty…"

This compliment sent a fluttery feeling into L's chest. He went stiff a moment, not really knowing how to react. Matsuda misread the signs.

"I'm sorry…" he took a step back, slapping his forehead, "I shouldn't have said that, I had no right-"

L reached over and gently touched his arm, the gesture sending them both into silence. Their eyes met for a second and they exchanged a shy smile. There was a sudden connection; both of them could feel it. An invisible line passing between them, into each other's hearts. Noticing this, Makoto started growling, breaking the connection. Matsuda backed off, his distaste towards dogs returning.

"Makoto, stop it." L scolded the pup in his arms. He looked back at Matsuda guiltily, "I'm sorry, he's not usually like this."

"That's alright." Matsuda eyed the pup nervously, then looked back at the dark eyed boy, "…L-"

"There you two are." Light appeared at the bottom of the stairs, grinning at the two of them, "L, come on. It's a lovely day. Let's go into the garden."

"But what if we're seen?"

"No one will see us. C'mon, you need some fresh air."

L glanced at Matsuda and after setting Makoto back onto the floor, proceeded down the stairs to follow after Light. Matsuda couldn't help notice the eyes of the dog drilling into him but decided he was imagining things. It was a dog, an animal.

Animals don't glare.


	10. Depression

Hyosuke sat with his head in his hands, inhaling sharply through his teeth.

_I can't believe it L…_ the words spiralled around in his mind, _…how could you leave? How could you possibly leave?_

He heard the door open and regained his posture, thinking it was Takeo. It wasn't. It was Beyond, looking a little broken. Understanding, as there was still no sign of his brother. He went and sat delicately on the table opposite the elder man, avoiding any eye contact.

"Heard anything yet?" Hyosuke asked gently.

Beyond shook his head, his hair falling into his eyes. His body went stiff a second and winced at the pain in his back. This action didn't go unnoticed.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

This answer was followed by a silence that pained the both of them. Unable to stand it any longer, Hyosuke stood to leave, only for his arm to be caught as the dark-haired boy pushed him up against the wall and started inhaling deeply.

"Beyond-"

"Make love with me…"

The elder man stared at him, horror in his eyes, "_What_?"

"Please…" Beyond looked near tears, struggling for breath, "…I need…I need someone…"

"Beyond, you're just stressed out." Hyosuke took his chin in his thumb and forefinger, forcing him to look into his eyes, "Why don't you sleep? You look exhausted."

"Can't…" Beyond's voice strained, "…can't sleep." His eyes brimmed with tears and they fell rapidly, "What's _wrong_ with me?"

"Sssh." Hyosuke pressed their foreheads together, grimacing slightly as the boy's hold on him tightened painfully, "Everything will be alright. We'll find your brother, we'll…" he tried not to get ahead of himself. He knew he'd regret it if he did.

Beyond pressed his wet cheeks against the warmth of the man's chest and muttered, "You hated him…"

"No." Hyosuke pulled away so he could look the boy in the eye again, his voice solemn, "I never hated your brother. I know I was not his favourite person. But to say I hated him is a lie. It was not my choice to treat him bitterly. I was merely following orders."

Beyond thought about Takeo and shivered. There was something about his body language that bothered Hyosuke and noticed he kept touching his back.

"Are you hurt?"

Beyond didn't reply. The elder man carefully turned him around and lifted the hem of his shirt up, revealing a series of sore-looking red strips spread across his back. They'd been delivered from a whip or a belt of some sort. It'd been a vicious flogging, that was for sure.

"_He_ did this…didn't he?"

Beyond breathed the air out through his nose, "It wasn't what you think…"

Hyosuke sighed, "You don't need to sell yourself to him."

"What other choice do I have?"

The elder man turned him back around so their eyes met again, "So you're going to allow him to torture you? You're a child."

"So is L. And if it means getting him back, I'll do it."

"That's madness."

"Say I'm mad then."

Emotion overwhelmed the man and he pulled the child into a hug; the idea of him doing such things to save the life of his younger sibling was gut-wrenching. Though who could blame him? He was the only family he had left.

Beyond moved his lips close to his ear, "You're so warm…"

Hyosuke made up his mind and slowly moved to brush their lips together, his hands slowly trailing up the boy's shirt.

"Maybe we should take this somewhere else…"

* * *

**A/N: Yes, Beyond's turning into a bit of a slut XD But how far will he take this new relationship with L's once bitter enemy? Oho, so much drama :D Hope you continue to read!**


	11. Growing feelings

Matsuda shifted about nervously on his bed, doubt poisoning his mind. He couldn't go through with it, it was wrong. Light was his best friend, how could he…?

He knew why. He was slowly falling for L. He knew he was perfectly capable of doing what Takeo wanted. Only his guilty conscience held him back.

He jumped at the sound of the door and L entered cautiously.

"Are you alone, Matsuda?"

A nod came as a reply. The dark-haired boy went and sat on the edge of the bed awkwardly, hair falling into his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Matsuda asked with worry.

L didn't answer. He looked towards the door to make sure Makoto wasn't trying to find a way in. He always got bothered when separated from L too long. When he was comfortable that the dog was not anywhere near the room, he acknowledged Matsuda's question.

"No, I'm not alright Matsuda." He said in his usual soft voice, "I haven't been feeling right for days now."

Matsuda blinked, "I-I don't understand. Are you sick?"

L shook his head, faintly amused by the other boy's naïvety, "It's nothing like that Matsuda."

Silence fell between them and Matsuda shifted closer to the boy, gently reaching out to touch his shoulder.

"Have I done something wrong, L?"

"No…" the response was calm and L turned to look Matsuda properly in the eye, "I don't why I…I'm sorry for wasting your time."

Embarrassed, he made a move to leave but felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Please don't go…I could use some company."

Wondering if he was doing the right thing, L sat back down next to him and felt as Matsuda's hand left his shoulder and gently ran down his arm.

"Do you want to talk about anything?"

L looked slightly bashful, "Well, yes actually…"

"What did you want to talk about?"

"…I heard you cared for your boss' children whilst you were in the plantation grounds…"

At this, Matsuda gave a smile that suggested he was close to tears, "Yes, I did. That's my only regret; leaving those two behind."

"Boys or girls?"

"Two little boys. A four-year old and a toddler."

L smiled, "I love children…"

"Me too. I treated them as if they were my own. I sure do miss them…"

"Maybe you'll see them again someday."

Matsuda shook his head "They've probably forgotten me. Anyway, their foster father Roger thinks the world of them. I know they're happy and that's all that matters to me."

"You're a good person, Matsu."

Matsuda blushed at that name, "Thanks."

It was getting hot in the room. Matsuda shifted awkwardly, which he instantly regretted as he realised seconds later that he was inches away from L's lips. They looked soft and delicate all of a sudden. He wondered what they'd taste like.

Strangely, L didn't move.

Matsuda moved forward and their noses brushed together lightly. It was all getting too serious.

"I need to go…" L said, fighting to keep the heat from spreading across his cheeks, "…Light…"

"Yeah, of course…" Matsuda leaned back disappointed, "…listen if you need anything, I'm here."

Already at the door, L hid a smile which proved he'd fallen victim to the older boy's advances. He bent his head and uttered quietly.

"Thank you Matsuda."


	12. Rabbit

"I'm not sure about him."

Light turned around, eyebrows raised, "What?"

"I'm not sure about Matsuda." Mikami shrugged and hugged his knees, "I think he's hiding something."

"You're being paranoid Mikami." Light laughed, "I've known him for years. He'd tell me if something was wrong."

"Have you seen the way he walks?"

"What do you mean?"

"His walking pattern is rigid."

Light shrugged, "He's been through a lot, remember. Who knows what kind of things they did to him."

"We've _all_ been through a lot. All I'm saying is, I think it's weird how he managed to track us down. _And_ he seems to know a lot about L already."

"Well…" Light didn't like where this conversation was going, "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation. He's my best friend Mikami; the next best thing besides L. I was hoping you'd have a little faith in him."

Mikami opened his mouth to protest, only for the said person to enter. Matsuda looked pale and his eyes were red, as if he'd been crying.

"Mat…" Light peered at him, "Mat, what's wrong?"

Matsuda shivered and looked as if he'd throw up any second. Slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out something charred and black. It took Light seconds to realise it was a small, stuffed rabbit, burnt and falling apart.

"Mat, what's this?"

Matsuda didn't reply. Instead, he sank to his knees and broke down in tears.


	13. Almost a kiss

The plantation ground in which Matsuda had stayed for the past year and a half had been completely destroyed; the fields had been burnt down and the stately home now lay in ruins. There was hardly anything left.

Refusing to see anyone, Matsuda had shut himself in his room and spent the rest of the evening curled up on his bed with the damaged rabbit pressed up to his chest. He cursed himself for his own stupidity. They'd warned him about this, about what would happen. If only he'd stuck to the plan…

He jumped when he heard someone come in but relaxed when he saw it was L. The younger boy seemed nervous and came and slid onto the bed next to him. Without hesitation, he put his arms around Matsuda's waist.

"I'm so sorry Matsu."

"It's not your fault." The older boy replied.

"It had to have been Takeo." L said with an edge to his voice, "Only _he_ would do something so vile. All the plantation chains are connected to each other, he must have done it."

"But why?"

"I don't know. Because he's a monster?"

Matsuda sat up and looked at the toy in his hands, "They were so little…how could he…?"

L pressed his nose into his neck, trying to settle him, "We'll find a way to stop him Matsu, I promise you."

Matsuda turned over so he was looking into the younger boy's eyes, "How can we? He knows where we are. He'll-"

"Sssh." L put a finger on his lips, "Everything will be alright. Trust me."

They were too close. In a moment of weakness and heated desire, Matsuda leaned over and brushed their lips together, not quite kissing him. Unexpectedly, L didn't move or pull away.

Their moment was riled when the door knocked from downstairs. This startled them, as no one ever came near the house. When they reached the top of the stairs, they saw Mikami had already answered the door. A man was there, dark-haired and green-eyed. Matsuda recognised him immediately.

"Gevanni?"

The man glanced up and gave him a half smile, "It's been a while, Matsuda."

He wasn't alone. He was holding onto a small, huddling figure and there was another one on the floor, gripping his leg.

Two small children. Both boys.


	14. Room for two more

Mihael Keehl and Nate River were an odd pair. Mihael was fair and had cerulean eyes with blonde hair that almost reached his shoulders; giving him the appearance of a little girl. Nate, on the other hand, had a mass of white hair with grey eyes to add to the dullness of his face. Despite these unusual features, both seemed healthy and good-tempered and as soon as they saw Matsuda, they ran to him, crying, "Matsu! Matsu!"

"You're alive?" Matsuda said to Gevanni as he cradled little Nate on his knee, "I thought-"

"I was lucky enough to survive the blaze." Gevanni pulled up his sleeve, revealing a deep burn, "Some others were not so lucky. Including the master."

Matsuda gasped, "_Roger's_ dead?"

"I'm afraid so…" for a moment he lowered his eyes but quickly regained his composure, "But we must put that behind us now. I'm here on behalf of a mass organization."

"What organization?" asked Light.

"An investigation to bring down the notorious Takeo Nakane. His mafia has been kidnapping and enslaving young men for decades now and it's time he and his body of criminals were stopped."

L snorted, "They're hardly criminals. Forced labour has been legal since I was born. It'll never change. They tell you you'll earn your freedom but you're more likely to die before you ever taste freedom again."

Gevanni nodded, "It is legal. But we're determined to make it _illegal_ as soon as possible. I was a slave once and I know what it's like."

"Roger was a good master…" Matsuda muttered.

"Yes he was. But he got mixed up in something a whole lot more sinister. The only reason he joined the trade was so he'd have enough money to support the children."

L glanced down at Mihael, who was sitting on the floor and looking around with a beaming face. For a four-year-old, he was very lively in spirit and did not seem intimidated by the unfamiliar faces. Quite the opposite to Nate, who clung to Matsuda and peered around timidly at all the strangers with great uncertainty.

"They're the main reason I came." Gevanni went on, "The head of the investigation wishes for them to be placed in good hands now their foster father is dead. And since Matsuda is the next best thing…"

Light eyed the children wearily, "I'm not sure. Takeo knows where we are now and…"

"Rest assured, you're in safe hands now. We'll make sure nothing happens to any of you."

Matsuda looked down at little Nate, who was currently chewing his sleeve, "Are you sure we'll be protected?"

"I promise. We're going to put a stop to this. I promise you that."

Matsuda glanced at Mikami, who shrugged, "I suppose two more can't hurt."

L took the stuffed bunny from the floor and gently handed it to Nate in order to distract him from devouring Matsuda's sleeve.

"I think this belongs to you, kawaiko-chan."

Despite the fact it was half burnt, the little one seized it and pressed it tightly to his own little body. Then remembering his manners, he replied in a small voice.

"Thank you."


	15. L is caught

**Returned from my haitus! Finally, all my schoolwork is done. And now I have a story to finish. Hope you'll forgive me. **

* * *

One thing was for certain with L; he was brilliant with children.

It was only a matter of days before he had gained the trust of Mihael; soon the little blonde was following him around the house like a little dog. Whenever there was a storm outside, Light would find himself disturbed from his slumber by a little figure clambering onto the bed and curling up between them. After a week, he and L had adopted new titles; Mama and Papa.

Little Nate River was harder to win over; he showed mutual trust towards L, but there was something about Light that he was not certain of, so he rarely ventured near him. He himself was unsure of what it was. There was just something off about him, something unusually intimidating about his gaze.

There was another thing little Nate noticed; how Uncle Matsuda cringed and blushed whenever his eye so much as fell upon young Lawliet.

Nate was an infant but that did not leave a mark on his intelligence; he noticed all the small touches, the smiles, the way L's teeth always sunk into his bottom lip whenever they passed each other. And then they became accustomed to hand holding – especially under the supper table – though they were always quick to not let the others notice. But Nate River suspected this was just usual adult behaviour.

Mihael saw it too; only on a much larger scale. He decided that it would be a wise idea not to disturb Uncle Matsuda in the middle of the night again; though no one could blame him for being unaware that he had invited L into his bed that night and the both of them had engaged in what looked like a play fight. Still, adults did strange things.

He mentioned it to Mikami the next time he and Nate were bathing; "Do you play fight with Mama as well?"

Mikami had blinked at him, unused to the naivety of children, "Excuse me?"

"I saw Uncle Matsuda play fighting with Mama in their bedroom," Mihael repeated, "I think he won because Mama was underneath him-"

"I think you best knock next time," Mikami began drying the flaxen hair with a towel, "I'll be having words with your Mama later, don't you worry."

Mihael noticed a look of discomfort spread across the man's face, but ignored it and went back to flicking water at Nate River.

* * *

Mikami lay in wait at the end of the corridor, silently tapping the wall with his fingertips until he became aware of the door opening at the other end of the hall; he stepped back into the darkness as a timid head poked out, checked to see if anyone was present and slowly began padding down the hallway past him, heading to the room where Light slept.

"Can't sleep?"

Startled, L turned swiftly and put his hand over his heart. He flushed when he recognised the face.

"Mikami…yes, the rain was too loud for me."

Mikami glanced up at the roof, "Was Matsuda-san having trouble sleeping as well?"

"I…"

"You know," Mikami took a few steps towards the smaller boy, "Just an idea for the future - it would be very wise to keep the door locked when engaging in sexual intercourse. It saves anyone walking in and getting a nasty surprise."

"Light and I always…" L trailed off when he caught the end of Mikami's sentence and flushed even more, "Mikami-"

"Don't bother lying, Lawliet. If you ask me, it's pretty obvious."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you wearing any underwear underneath those shorts?"

L's cheeks were on fire; he glanced down and pulled his nightshirt down in embarrassment.

"I don't understand Lawliet," for a moment, the older man looked wounded, "I could never understand how such a sweet-natured, elegant creature like yourself would commit something as vile as adultery. But then again, maybe looks are deceiving-"

"Mikami, you can't tell him," L's voice was calm, for now, "Please, I never meant for it to go this far-"

"And how far_ did_ you intend to take it exactly? Again, I fail to understand Lawliet. What has Light done to you to make you repay him like this?"

L stared at him in disbelief, "Have you not seen how far away he's been lately? I can't remember the last time he told me he loved me, though I'm sure to remind him as often as I can. Whenever I take his hand the hold is so loose we may as well not bother holding hands at all! He never looks at me the way he used to, Mikami. I just…I just don't know what I want right now."

Mikami peered at him, "Light would throw himself in front of a lion for you…"

"And I would do the same for him!" L almost forgot to keep his voice down, "I_ love_ him Mikami. I just…"

"And what about Matsuda-san? Are you in love with him as well?"

L's hair fell into his eyes.

Mikami repeated, "_Do_ you love him, Lawliet?"

The smaller boy suddenly plunged his face into his hands, "I don't _know_…" his head whipped up again to plead through red rimmed eyes, "I beg of you Mikami, please don't tell Light. I'll lose him forever."

Mikami sniffed, "Perhaps that's what you deserve." But then he thought of the children and changed his mind, "I won't be telling Light-kun, young Lawliet. _You_ will be the one to tell him."

L went to say something more but they were interrupted as the sound of crying came from he and Light's room.

"Nate's awake," he muttered and silently treaded back to the bedroom, leaving Mikami listening to the rain hammering against the rooftops once more.


	16. Cry

"Makoto, you're not helping," Light remarked, as the dog began to scrabble underneath the dresser, attempting to assist Light in retrieving the ball that had rolled under there. Alas, his paws were too short to reach, so Light crouched lower and stuck his arm in, feeling about until his fingers met a familiar wet, round shape. He also brushed against something else, which felt strangely like a box. He pulled the toy out and returned it to its owner - who caught it up in his teeth and resumed in chewing - then dug his arm back in and pulled out the other object.

It was a box as he had suspected, small and brown. Light carefully shook it and a jangling noise came from inside; he was not one to be nosy but he decided that it would not cause any damage to have a quick peek.

There was a fair amount of jewellery in the box; most of it old and rusting and layered with dust. It must have belonged to Mikami's mother at one point; a collection of family heirlooms now alone and forgotten. He was particularly drawn to the small ring which lay in the centre; it was vintage with a black amber in the middle. Amber was rare in those parts. Not only that, it was expensive. It must have been a wedding ring of some sort – for what other occasion would a man break every bone in his back to earn enough money for such a sentimental gift for his wife to be?

It was charred but not ruined and he slid it off his finger a few times, admiring the glint.

"Lawliet Lawsford…" he muttered to himself, going and sitting on the bed, stretching the ring out in front of him then trying it on again, "…will you marry me?"

He laughed at himself and pulled the ring off his finger. He knew it wasn't the right time to ask L such questions. His mind was too preoccupied with the children at the moment. He was beginning to notice how distant L was becoming and it bothered him; he knew it was partially his fault for being slow to react to the other boy's romantic advances but he only did that because he was nervous. Nervous of losing L for good. He could no longer look him in the eye, hold his hand, kiss him without feeling a great deal of pain. Takeo haunted his dreams every night and deprived him of sleep. He couldn't go on living like this. Living in fear.

He flopped back onto the bed, fingering the ring. He wanted to be with L more than anything; L gave his life a meaning. They had both lost everything to the violence of men in masks but at the end of the day they still had each other. Had it not been for Lawliet, Light would have died a long time ago.

He turned onto his side, nestled his face into the covers and began to sob; he was unsure why. He just needed to let everything go. He had kept it in for too long. He hid his face and wept for a long while, not really concerned if he could be heard from outside. After a while, Makoto stopped chewing and cocked his head to the side; he was always intrigued when people cried and often did his best to be of a comfort. He hopped onto the bed beside Light, crouched beside him and for the next half an hour or so took to tenderly licking his hair to soothe him. Once he started, Light seemed unable to stop; he thought of his mother, his father, his sister and everything seemed to collapse around him. He cried as if he had nothing else to live for. And in a twisted way, it seemed to lessen the pain a great deal.

"Papa?"

He craned his head upwards and met the concerned eyes of Mihael as the little one reached forwards and placed a soft hand upon his throbbing head.

"Papa, why are you sad?"

Light attempted a smile but his lip trembled and fresh tears found their way to his cheeks, "I just am, Mihael."

"Oh…" the little blonde looked most confused, reaching out to touch Makoto as well, "…don't cry Papa."

He bent down and gently kissed Light's cheek, which earned another sob; after that, the child curled up next to his surrogate father and they lay there in silence until the infant had fallen asleep in his arms, Makoto curled up next to him as Light finally found it within himself to stop crying.


	17. Matsuda's warning

**WARNING:** Contains gore that may be disturbing. If you don't like, please do not read.

* * *

The next morning started off dull; Nate River had hardly slept the night and now he was grizzling in the arms of L, refusing to eat or interact with Mihael. To make matters even more difficult – he had misplaced his beloved stuffed rabbit and was in a bad mood without it. Matsuda recalled that the two of them had been playing in the garden the previous day and it would be more than likely that the toy would be down there.

The garden, which was an abundance of small trees and bushes, stretched out for several miles and eventually sloped into hills; there was a fence which bordered it away from the wilderness and sometimes the children would wander over there and peer over it – well, Nate could see if he was on Mihael's shoulders – over towards the forest which lay before them, out of reach. Sometimes they longed to run over there and play in the trees, but they were only prohibited to go as far as the fence for their own safety.

There was a small dog sniffing around the area when Matsuda got there; it was one of the strays which often came hovering about, looking for its next meal. And as Matsuda suspected – there lay the stuffed rabbit, slightly wet from the ground.

"Perhaps now we'll all get a decent night's sleep," he waved the toy in the dog's face, smiling and then holding out a hand for it to sniff.

"If I were you, I'd sleep with an eye open."

He suddenly went cold and felt something pass through him like a ghost; the rabbit fell out of his hands, flopping onto the grass below. Someone emerged from out of the bushes behind him and had him by the throat before he could make any sort of sound. He was pinned against the wet grass and met the eyes of Hyosuke, which make him scream under the hand over his mouth and kick like some sort of a hysterical animal.

"Shut up," Hyosuke was wearing all black and was wearing an ear piece, obviously feeding information back to Takeo, "If you get us caught, I swear I'll cut your tongue out."

Matsuda went mute. He became aware of someone else behind his attacker, also dressed in black. Beyond had changed a lot since their first encounter; he was thin, his hair fell into his eyes and someone had thoroughly beaten his face so there was bruising all around his mouth and eyes. He looked ill.

Matsuda pulled the hand off his mouth, "What are you doing here?"

"Keep your voice down," Beyond muttered, glancing over at the house behind him.

"I'll speak as loud as I want," Matsuda snapped, pushing Hyosuke off, "Why are you here?"

"Boss is getting tired of waiting, Matsuda." Hyosuke said with bitterness, "He wants L in his possession and he wants him now."

"I've already done what he wants," Matsuda replied, "I got close to him and now he's distanced himself from Light. Your boss promised that if I did this, no one would get hurt."

"And no one will get hurt; providing that L is returned to Takeo undamaged."

Matsuda wet his lips, "It's not as easy as that…"

"What do you mean?"

"It…it seems I have-"

"-fallen for my brother?" Beyond smirked, though it looked painful through cracked lips, "I should have known. Does he kiss like I do?"

"He's a lot more tender…"

"Whatever feelings you have for him, I advise you forget them immediately," Hyosuke said coldly, irritated by this remark, "Remember, you have a job to do."

Matsuda shook his head, "I can't. Not anymore. I can't lie to Light anymore, he's like a brother. I've caused him hell and he doesn't even know it. I'll never be able to accept the fact that I'm in love with my best friend's partner. I can't do it. I want out."

Anger flashed across Hyosuke's eyes, "You don't get it, do you? There is no _out_. Once you're in, you're in. The only way out is in a box."

Matsuda's eyes narrowed, "I hope there's one waiting for me then."

Silence. And then Hyosuke said, "Grab his legs."

Matsuda didn't have time to react as he was suddenly pinned to the grass again, his legs held together by Beyond. Memoirs of his assault flashed before his eyes and he began to struggle but Beyond had an iron grip which kept him from freeing himself. He was aware of the sound of a gun cocking and realised that Hyosuke was preparing to fulfil his wish for him; surprisingly, he wasn't afraid. He would rather die a thousand deaths than have to go on lying to Light for the rest of his days.

"You haven't learned your place, Matsuda-kun," Hyosuke raised the gun so it pointed to the space between his eyes; "I hope you take this as a reminder."

His finger moved to the trigger, but instead of shooting the man below him, he raised the gun again and shot the dog that was sniffing around the fence. It shrieked and dropped to the floor like a rock. Before Matsuda could speak, Beyond was holding the gun and Hyosuke had taken a knife from his belt; with one swift slash, he had cut the belly of the animal open and stuck his hand inside. Matsuda watched, retching, unable to speak. Hyosuke pulled his hand out again, the blood coming out warm and red on his skin.

"You'll remember this."


	18. Old face

"You're sad today." L said to Light after finally getting Nate settled to sleep without his stuffed rabbit.

Light didn't reply; he remained curled up on the couch, playing with the cuffs of his shirt sleeve. L went and lay next to him, rubbing his nose into the soft, auburn hair.

"Do you feel sick?"

"A little," Light replied and turned so they were facing, "My head hurts."

L pressed their foreheads together, "Anything I can do to help?"

"Keep talking. I love the sound of your voice."

This compliment made L's gut wrench but he managed to smile, "Come here."

They pressed their lips together and suddenly he felt that burst of passion he used to feel when he kissed Light; all of a sudden, old feeling came rushing back and he found himself moaning into the kiss, hands moving to undo the buttons on Light's shirt. He couldn't understand what was wrong with him; one moment he felt ashamed in the presence of his partner, the next he couldn't take his hands off him. His head was in a daze. He suddenly didn't know what he wanted. He wanted Light – badly – but Matsuda. Sweet Matsuda. He wanted him too. He wanted them _both_.

"I love you Light…" he felt his voice catch as he broke the kiss, hands moving up to caress the gentle face.

Light frowned, baffled by the tears, "L, what's the matter?" he reached up to catch the drops of water that were slowly falling, "Darling, why are you upset?"

"I just…" he looked into the brown eyes opposite and realised he couldn't lie to him anymore, "…Light, there's something I need to tell you…"

Before he could open his mouth to speak again, the sound of heavy footsteps distracted them both; Matsuda appeared at the door, face stained red. He looked set to faint. The stuffed rabbit fell from his hold, unblemished.

"Matsu?" L stood and went to examine his face, "Are you hurt? What happened?"

"It's not mine," Matsuda muttered and he unexpectedly crouched to the floor, fingers tearing through his hair, "The dog…they shot it…and then they covered me in its blood."

"Matsuda…" Light stood, eyes panicked, "Who did this to you?" His friend's hesitation alarmed him, "Tell me!"

Matsuda stared at L, "He had your eyes…"

Makoto sensed it before the others did; the presence of a stranger in the house. The fur on his back slowly prickled and he started growling from the back of the throat.

Light heard it to; movement from up above, given away by the ageing floorboards that slowly creaked whenever someone moved on them. They were in the children's room.

"Jesus…" Light turned and went to the cupboard where they kept a rifle stored in case of emergencies. It had been provided by Gevanni for their own protection. Now seemed an ideal time to use it.

"Light, don't-" L began but the other boy walked right past him as if they were no longer on the same wavelength.

He treaded the staircase with great ease, making sure he didn't disturb whatever lurked in the bedroom above; he was aware of scuttling, the sound of Nate's faint whimpers as he was disturbed of his slumber. Light paused midway and crouched slightly, eyes scanning the landing above. When he dared look up again the shuffling had stopped. The door was open a creek, the light from the room leaking out against the floorboards. He climbed the rest of the way and backed against the wall outside, cautiously edging around until he could peer through the crack. The window to the children's room was wide open, the curtains floating steadily in the breeze. He pushed the door open and found Mihael sitting on his own bed, unharmed but numb from fear.

"Mihael…" Light put aside his weapon and dropped next to the little blonde, "Thank God, you're-"

He noticed the little one's expression and then looked towards Nate's cot. It was empty, aside from the bed sheets that had been ripped off and tossed over the railings. He felt his heart shoot up to his mouth.

"Where's Nate?" he asked the boy in a trembling voice, to which Mihael only shook his head.

"I'm not allowed to tell."

"What are you talking about?"

"He said I would get hurt if I told?"

"Who did?"

Mihael pointed a shaky finger over Light's shoulder and when he turned he met the eyes of Kaito Hyosuke, a face he hoped he'd never have to see again.

"It's been a while, _Yarou."_


End file.
